Yes, the past 8 months here in Toronto have been phenomenal both personally and professionally (’09 has been the SHEEEEEIIIIT!) but, it’s starting to get cold and I’ve quickly realized that I’m not built like that anymore. Plus, I miss the shit outta my Taiwanese counterparts. So, I’m gettin my hibernation on and goin to the island to throw parties with the best of the best and enjoy life.

However, as those of you who’ve flown overseas before know, I’m gonna be on a plane for like 2 months rendering this blog inactive for a little bit. So today’s post is gonna be completely loaded with goodies to tide you over until I get back to some land.

So without further ado…

THE PROFESSIONAL

If there was ever someone you called a ‘professional emcee’, Black Thought should be the first person you think of. At very least second.

Well, this unreleased goodie aptly titled ‘The Professional’ has just surfacedand it proves my point 300 times over.

I don’t know what it is, but there are few, if any, albums that ever beat out Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 2on my playlist. I still listen to that ish like it dropped last Tuesday, and I don’t foresee any slowing up. Sure my favorite reincarnation of them is still the original trio, but Elzhi‘s contribution to the group should never be downplayed. He’s an absolute monster. Anyway, since today’s blog is LONG, I’ma keep this short (as possible). With one of Baatin’s last recordings before he passed, off the upcoming Villa Manifesto, I give you…

So I’m not sure if you’ve heard or not but HHHT faves Mos Def, Jay Electronica and current Hip-Hop blog darling, Curren$y(pictured below) have formed a new group called Center Edge Territoryand have apparently already finished 6 songs?

Yeah. Didn’t see that one coming, especially since Curren$y used to roll with Lil Weezy and that match up just seems odd to me. However, homie can rap, so as long as there’s that, I’m cool. Anyway, although nothing has leaked yet, here goes a little something from each member of this new underground powerhouse.

Jay Electronica, along with Ta’raach jump on this intergalactic dopeness from another HHHT favorite Sa-Ra Creative Partners.

Scarub, Luckyiam, Sunspot Jonz, Eligh, Bicasso, Aesop, Murs & The Grouch, or better known as West Coast’s current underground torchbearers, The Living Legends are the definition of paid dues. Having completely built themselves up independently from scratch, there are few hip-hop artists who can rival what they’ve done in the underground and truthfully, there are few hip-hop artists, underground or mainstream that can generate the revenue they do because of the work they’ve put in and the independent route they’ve taken. Now, at approximately a gazillion total releases, one of the Legends standouts, the Grouch returns with his latest effort ‘Eyes off the time’ and so far it sounds extra ill. Check the promo vid and DL below: